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"There is a terrible desperation to the increasingly pathetic rationalizations from the climate denial camp. This comes as no surprise if you take the long view; every single undone paradigm in history has died kicking and screaming, and our current petroleum paradigm 🐉🦕🦖 is no different. The trick here is trying to figure out how we all make it to the new ⚡ paradigm without dying ☠️ right along with the old one, kicking, screaming or otherwise." - William Rivers Pitt

Open to everyone, SolarCity (NASDAQ:SCTY) is issuing the first retail solar bond in the US, a $200 million bond offering backed by its vast solar portfolio.

The minimum investment is just $1000 and depending on the maturity date you choose - which ranges from 1-7 years - you earn 2-4% interest.

It's "a simple way for individuals across the United States to earn attractive returns on their investments while also participating in the nation's transformation to clean energy," they say.

SolarCity Bonds

As you know, SolarCity receives monthly payments from its solar leases. Bond holders will receive interest from that income. This is the first of "fairly continuous offerings," they say.

The bond will be used to finance more leased solar systems, complementing the $5 billion its raised from banks and corporations like Google.

SolarCity is among a handful of corporations that have issued green bonds - its $300 million bond (for institutional investors) was the first in the solar industry.

Last month, SolarCity started construction of its solar gigafactory in Buffalo, New York. Its located in the High-Tech Manufacturing Innovation Hub at SUNY's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

The state is investing $750 million for construction in exchange for SolarCity's 10-year lease and investment of $5 billion to run the facility. To raise working capital and funds for acquisitions, the company is issuing $500 million in convertible notes due in 2019.

Investors can buy shares directly at SolarCity's new investment website without paying any fees: